Strong & Silent
by DR. COFFIN
Summary: Before he met Josie DeMarco, even before he was the Commander, Steven Stronghold was just a super strong freshman at Sky High. This is the story of his first year, and of his first love that will haunt him forever.
1. Chapter 1

I was inspired to write this story by a character that appears in the story "Stitching Up The Past" written by BanishedOne. If you haven't read it yet, do so now, then come back here so you'll understand the wonderful character of "Silence" that was created and what's happening to her in the first chapter of that story.

I was originally going to have this beautiful character as an alternate version of Warren's mother (when you read about her you'll understand why), but then realized she would be much better as the love interest of someone else. And yes, I got permission to use her a LONG time ago.

Speaking of a long time ago, hey BanishedOne, when are you going to update "Stitching Up the Past"? This waiting is KILLING me.

**Strong & Silent**

**Chapter 1**

"**First Encounter"**

"I can beat him up…if you want me to."

She looked up, so surprised at the strange offer that she momentarily forgot the cause of her sorrow; a special edition of A Tale of Two Cities that had been given to her by her late grandmother now lay open, one precious page ripped out and now in pieces, torn apart in the span of an eye blink by the cruel boy that had just left.

Now another boy stood next to her, one who seemed the polar opposite of her tormentor in every way. He was younger than her, possibly a year or two at most. Though only a few inches taller he was built like some kind of overly developed strongman competitor, with wide shoulders and a deep chest that made his KISS t-shirt look like it was painted on rather than worn. Even relaxed his massive arms sported twenty-inch biceps and forearms that looked the size of her legs. His blue jeans barely held the equally powerful lower body, including legs that were like tree trunks. His hair was a wavy mess of deep brown locks that looked like it had never seen a comb, and his boyish face, which made him look even younger, was set in an expression of concern. His blue eyes looked made more for laughing than showing the worry they did now.

"What?" she said, not certain she had heard him correctly.

"I saw what he did to you," the boy answered, "he tore up your book like it was funny or something. Well, I didn't SEE him do it, but I know he did…and so do you.

"I can beat him up for you…make him apologize and promise not to do it again."

That was the oddest offer she had ever heard. She didn't even know this boy, who had to be a freshman, as she had never seen him before this year…she would have definitely remembered him…and he was offering to beat up her tormentor who had been destroying her books for the past three days.

"I…that's all I can do," he said, almost like he was apologizing, "I'm super strong. Breaking and hitting is all I can do. I wish I could fix your book for you."

She felt touched by his words. He seemed to be making an honest effort to help in the only way he knew how. But why would he do that? No one else ever really associated with her…they were all afraid of her. But he wasn't. Either he hadn't heard the rumors, or he didn't care.

"No," she finally whispered barely loud enough for him to hear, "thank you but…I'll take care of this myself. He'll slip up sooner or later and when he does…I'll deal with him."

"If…if you're sure," he said, looking and sounding dejected that he couldn't help, "but if I can help…just let me know."

He started to leave, and then he stopped and turned back around to look at her.

"My name's Steve…Steve Stronghold. I know everybody calls you "Silence". Even if it's not your real name…I still think it's very pretty…and so are you."

With that he turned and walked out of the cafeteria, amazingly shy for someone who she had heard of only by reputation as well.

Steve Stronghold, the son of the legendary Samuel Stronghold…Major Victory in his hero identity. The hero who, when he was Steven's age, had fought for America during the latter part of World War 2 against the likes of Dr. Skull and the Human Panzer, and hadbecome semi-retired a few years ago to raise a family at a later age than his peers did.

Steve had been the talk of the school ever since the first day of the new semester. Everyone was all excited that the son of such a legendary hero was now attending Sky High, and it seemed like all the boys wanted to be his friend and all the girls wanted to be his girlfriend. Of course there were a few holdouts; the skinny little boy who had taken it upon himself to torment her for apparently no reason, the dour, stringy haired girl with the thick glasses and perpetual frown, and a few others.

She wondered why someone who was on the fast track to the popular clique would even bother to notice her, much less make the offer he did. Did he just feel sorry for her? Or was he actually reaching out to her honestly, unafraid of anything he might have heard?

The thought stuck in her head all that day and into the evening after she had gotten home to her little house with her parents; her dad who was a brilliant scientist and her mother who had the power to assume a shadow form when she used to be a sidekick to a more famous heroine who had retired to raise her own family.

That night she dreamed of him; the messy hair, the concerned look, and the muscles. She had never thought of being attracted to one of the "muscle heads" as the super strong kids were called, but there was something about him that made him different from the crowd of boastful, loud and obnoxious boys and girls she had known in the three years she had attended the school. It seemed like his concern and gentleness showed through the walls of hard flesh, making it somehow a symbol of protection and comfort rather than brutality and arrogance.

The next day it went like it had for a week. She would be reading her book and suddenly a page was torn and rent, the pieces scattering as the boy appeared out of nowhere and sneered at her. She still refused to speak to him, only look at him with the same questioning expression, even though she had figured out why he had done it. She had heard of the stupid dare going around, the one where someone would try to get her to use her power, which she had not done since her first day as a freshman in power placement.

But this little monster was not worth it. Not yet. Either he would get it through his thick head and go on to pester someone else, or he would eventually slip up, and then she would get him. Now he slunk away and, sure enough, the large shadow fell over her again, and she looked up to see the young giant, his face even more pensive than before.

"I'll still beat him up for you," Steven whispered.

She felt truly touched now. This was an honest attempt to help, not another stupid ploy or dare to get her to show her power. No one was that good an actor.

"No," she repeated, "but…thank you."

He nodded his head and started to leave again, but as before he stopped himself.

"Could I," he hesitated, unable to look her directly in the eye, "could I walk you home after school? He might decide to try something worse and…I could be there to protect you."

This was completely unexpected. Did he somehow know where she lived? Of course it was a matter of school record, but she knew he did not ride the same bus she did, and the routes were extremely long range in some cases.

"I…live on the outskirts of town," she said, "that's too far away for you, I'm sure."

"Nah," he said, "I can just leap back home in no time. I can jump pretty far…about a quarter mile at a time."

Now this was what she had expected from a "muscle head"; bragging about one's abilities. But the way he said it, it sounded more as a simple matter of fact than a boast. He seemed to be very modest about it, as if it was no trouble and, if it was, she was worth it.

"Okay," she said, "I ride the number 27 bus. I'll see you there."

"Okay," he said with a lop-sided grin complete with big dimples that seemed more natural to him than anything else.

It was the end of the day, and the kids that couldn't fly on their own or didn't have some type of flying device had to make their way to the busses. It was a mad scramble as everyone told his or her friends goodbye for the weekend, promised to call, and hurried to get the best seats on their respective bus.

Number 27 sat off to the side, it was one of the last busses to take off as per the schedule. It was already full as everyone sat in the same spot they always did. One thing was certain…the back seat belonged only to her.

She didn't mind. It gave her more time to be alone, to sit and read or write down her thoughts…as if she really needed any more time for that. Friday afternoons were always the hardest for her because she would see all the other kids telling each other what they planned to do for the weekend and telling each other goodbye. Nobody ever said that to her. They always seemed relieved when it was her turn to get off the bus.

Now she sat there, actually anxious for the first time ever as she waited for Steve to show up. She didn't know what to say when he did, and rehearsed in her mind over and over again what she wanted so much to tell him.

But there was no sign of him.

One by one the other busses took off, each to deliver their cargo to its respective destinations. Soon it was Number 27's turn.

She desperately looked out the window. Still there was no sign of him. It was a trick. A cruel, stupid trick by a popular kid to show how he could get to even the most feared person at the school. She could already hear him and his friends laughing at her come Monday morning. Maybe he was even in on the book destroying cruelty of that little weasel, the two of them working together to win the stupid bet. She felt her heart actually hurting as the engines on the bus started up and it began to taxi down the driveway to start its take off. A single tear struggled to break free, but she fought to hold it in. He wasn't going to make her cry, damn him.

The rockets on the bus ignited, and just as it started to lift off there was a terrible lurching that would have thrown the kids out of their seats if they hadn't been strapped in. The bus itself was angling up into the air as if the rear of the bus was stuck on something. Some of the kids, including her, tried to look and see what was happening.

It was Steve. He had grabbed onto the bus, sinking his fingers into the metal like it was soft clay, and holding it down so it wouldn't take off without him. He seemed to be having a little trouble, mostly from not getting a good enough foothold; otherwise he probably wouldn't be straining at all. All the other students were shocked, and yelled for the driver to stop, which he did when he saw what was happening. He instantly cut the rockets but the bus was still off the ground, held there by Steve who, once he realized the bus was not trying to get away, set it down as gently as he could. He then grabbed his book bag and made his way to the doors, which swung open to let him enter, albeit sideways because of his broad shoulders.

"Sorry," Steve apologized to the driver and passengers, "but I promised a friend I'd see her home safely, and a Stronghold always keeps a promise."

No one was about to argue with Steve on that, especially after seeing what he had just done. Everyone was wondering who he was talking about, and more than a few jaws dropped when he gently sat beside Silence in the back seat, giving her a sheepish smile.

"Sorry," he whispered, "I couldn't ditch Boomer fast enough. Him and some of the other guys wanted to go do something, but this was more important."

She felt her cheeks grow hot, as she knew she was blushing, not just from what he had said and done, but the fact he had done it in front of an entire busload of students. Though it was Friday, the school would doubtlessly be abuzz with the news about what happened on Monday, if not sooner.

And now he was so close to her. Even sitting halfway in the seat so that he wouldn't crowd her with his greater bulk, he looked more a giant than ever in the enclosed confines of the bus. She could smell his cologne, mixed with a hint of sweat from his exertion of holding the bus down. She saw a faint sheen of perspiration on his skin, and could count the tiny hairs on his forearms. His bicep looked as big as her head. His profile looked like it was a Greek sculpture come to life. She had never really noticed how handsome he was until now.

She was so entranced looking at him she nearly forgot to get off at her stop.

"Here we are,' she whispered, suddenly once again shy. He stood up and waited for her to get out of the seat and followed her down the aisle and off the bus. As it pulled away she noticed that the eyes of all the other students were on her and her companion.

She walked along the street, not saying anything as she felt his shadow over her like a protective blanket. It felt good. When they arrived at her house, she paused at the door.

"Thank you for seeing me home," she said, "it was a very chivalrous thing to do."

"You're welcome," he replied, then hesitated again, "uh…if you're not busy tomorrow I could…I mean, maybe we could…go out to a movie or something."

Now it was getting totally surreal. It was one thing for the most popular boy to walk her home, but now ask her out on a date? She didn't know what to say at first, and he took it the wrong way.

"I'm sorry," he said, "I…I just thought…"

"Yes," she said, again in that same whisper he had to strain to hear, but hear it he did.

"Really? Great!" he suddenly caught himself, "I mean…okay. I'll pick you up about seven, okay? I'll see what's playing first, then you can decide."

"Okay," she said.

"Okay," he repeated, "well…uh, I guess I'll see you then."

He waited as she entered her home and gave him a little wave goodbye. Once the door closed Steven Stronghold leaped into the air higher and further than he ever had before, coming down a full half mile from his starting point. The ground shook slightly from his impact, and he looked around to see if anyone was about. Once he was sure he was alone, he reared back and bellowed his happiness like a young bull in the spring.

She had said yes…the fragile looking little dark haired girl with the pale blue eyes who dressed in such modest clothing. The girl who was always reading and writing, and who he had first noticed when he saw her nearly crying when her first book had been ruined by that skinny little jerk with the black eyes and the cruel smile. The girl who had touched his heart because he had been raised and taught from day one to protect the defenseless and help those in need. She had needed help, but the only way he knew how was to beat up her tormentor…and he would have loved to do that…he would have gladly broken every bone in the little freak's body at a nod from her.

But that had changed. All the rest of the day his mind kept drifting back to her, despite being in class or hanging out after school with Baron, Boomer and the others. There was just something about her that made her stand out from all the others girls, especially the flashy, brazen ones who kept coming on to him.

He had admitted from the start that he didn't know her real name, only her nickname of "Silence". He had also been truthful about how he thought both she and her name were very pretty…no, not pretty…beautiful. Her hair was as black as a raven's wing, and her eyes were the blue of a clear sky on a freezing January morning. She didn't wear any makeup, and she didn't need any…not for him, anyway.

So what if none of the freshmen or sophomores knew what her power was? So what if some jerks thought she was a villain in the making? So what if she read a lot and wrote as well? If anyone called her a nerd or a dog, he'd stomp him flat. She was so quiet and shy, so small and fragile that he just couldn't resist her; she was his perfect opposite…he was big, powerful, sometimes loud, which was the norm for a teenage boy with or without super powers, and very outgoing. Except with her. She made his knees go weak where he could leg press a good five tons for reps without straining. She made his breathing fast and shallow where he could run ten miles and even hold his breath while doing it and not strain at all.

He leaped again, soaring into the sky to land another half mile away. He was amazed. He was actually leaping further than he ever had before. Was that her power? Did she have the ability to increase the powers of others? Or was he just letting his happiness overcome any subconscious limits he had placed on himself? Actually the last thing he needed was to get any stronger at the moment, because he didn't want anything to complicate tomorrow night.

When he had his date with his silent angel.

To be continued.


	2. Chapter 2

**Strong & Silent**

**Chapter 2**

**"Date"**

Steven Stronghold was extremely nervous.

For the first time since he had powered up only a few months ago, he was actually worried about making a good first impression. So far he had been coasting on who his father was and his natural charm and charisma to carry him through his first few weeks at Sky High, but now he was facing something totally different.

He really wanted her to like him.

This was not something normal for him. He knew he was already liked by virtually all the other kids, and had made a few real friends. As for the girls, he could have his choice of any he wanted.

But there was only one he truly wanted, and she was one he felt he had to prove himself to.

It was a challenge, but like his dad had told him he would be facing a lot of challenges in his future, and he couldn't back down from any of them. This is one challenge he was actually looking forward to.

He had put on his dark blue suit, the one he hadn't worn since…the funeral.

Had it been just a few months ago too? Steven couldn't help but stop and think about it. He still missed Theodore so much, and probably always would. Though his little brother had been only two years younger than him, Steven still thought of him as his best friend as well.

But he couldn't think about that now. The suit was the only nice set of clothes he had that fit him. After he had powered up none of his other suits could fit him, and he had made due with the triple extra large men's clothes his mom had been able to find for him. He hadn't really cared much about his appearance after Ted had died, but now he wanted to look good for his date. He was sure Ted would understand and approve.

His parents were both glad he was finally going out again as well. Despite all the good-natured enthusiasm he displayed at school there were still weekend days when Steven would just sit in his room and they would worry about him. He still blamed himself for what had happened.

Now he was in the back seat of the car as his dad drove him to the address he had given. Up front Samuel Stronghold looked like a typical American dad, complete with horn-rimmed glasses used for his disguise. His hair was graying around the edges, but he could still prove to any villain that Major Victory was not a hero to be trifled with.

"Well," his dad said as they pulled up to the modest little house, "here we are Steven. Now, remember what your mother and I told you and everything will be great."

"Yeah Dad," Steven said, rolling his eyes as he got out of the car which raised up three inches higher on its axles with his extra weight out of it, "I remember."

Steven walked up to the front door; so nervous he was sure he would throw up at the least provocation even though he hadn't been able to eat all day. That was quite an accomplishment considering he usually started the day with three boxes of cereal, two gallons of milk, a dozen eggs, a loaf of toast with a jar of peanut butter and anything else he could eat. That usually held him until lunch…if he was lucky.

He rang the doorbell, and the door opened to reveal a tall, ethereal looking woman with almost glowing black hair dressed in a modest housedress that was dark blue in color. She smiled at Steven, and he was sure where his date had gotten her looks.

"Welcome Steven," she said as she stepped aside to allow him in, "I'm Mrs. Crane. I'm sorry my husband isn't here to meet you as well, but he's working late at the lab with some of the other scientists. Come in and sit down…my daughter will be ready in a moment."

Steven nodded his head in compliance, still afraid to open his mouth lest his stomach make a break for daylight. He entered to find a nice living room with spare though comfortable furniture, but what really caught his attention were the walls. Nearly every one of them was covered with bookshelves, each jammed full of books of all kinds in neat, orderly rows. It almost looked like a library.

"As you can see we like to read," smiled Mrs. Crane, "we encouraged it in our little Rebecca, and she did not disappoint in the least."

Rebecca Crane. So that was the name of his beautiful "Silence".

"I understand that you are the son of Major Victory," she said, bringing Steven out of his thoughts.

"Yeah…I mean yes ma'am," said Steven, trying hard to remember his manners as his mother had told him. She wanted him to be a perfect gentleman on this date, and he was determined not to disappoint her.

"I never got the chance to meet him "back in the day"," said Mrs. Crane, "even though I was the sidekick to Emerald Fire."

"You're the Ebony Shade?" said Steven, his attention now fully upon his date's mother.

"Guilty as charged," she smiled in response, "I was her sidekick until we both agreed it was time to settle down with the men we loved and raise families. She lives out in Hawaii now with her husband and their son Kamaya. He's about your age…should be going to Sky High West now."

Steven was impressed. Though he had grown up around his dad's old friends and teammates and their kids he was still a big super hero fan at heart and loved a chance to meet new ones. But he was here for another reason, and everything else in the world vanished when she came into the room.

Silence…rather, Rebecca, was wearing a lovely dark blue dress similar in color to her mother's but the design was totally different. Her black hair had been done in a new style and she had the slightest trace of makeup around her eyes and her lips were a light red in color. She held her head slightly down, either still shy or maybe embarrassed about how she felt she must look.

Steven stood up instantly, never taking his eyes off her. She was even more enchanting now than when he first laid eyes on her, and that was saying something.

"Hi…I mean hello, Rebecca," Steven stammered out. He was nearly tongue tied, and his stomach was doing a gymnastics routine that would have easily won the gold at the Olympics.

She started for a moment, surprised Steven knew her real name and then realized that her mother must have told him.

"Hello Steven," she barely whispered, "you look…very handsome."

"Thanks…I mean thank you," replied Steven, nervous sweat breaking out on his brow, "so do you. I mean not handsome…you look beautiful…really beautiful."

Rebecca slightly blushed at that. She had never been on a date, much less complimented by a boy before, and Steven's words came from his heart. She was already light headed and the date had not even begun yet.

"I trust you'll have her back home at a decent time," said Mrs. Crane, knowing full well that her daughter could take full care of herself even if Steven' didn't behave. But Steven would behave, nothing less would be expected from the son of Major Victory.

"Yes ma'am," said Steven, hating to take his attention away from Rebecca, even to answer her mother, "we'll be back by ten o'clock. My dad is driving us to the movie, and the moment it's over he'll bring us back."

"That sound fine," said Mrs. Crane, "so you two better get going while the night is still young. Have a good time."

With that Steven bid Mrs. Crane a good evening, and opened the door for Rebecca, waiting for her to leave first. He then escorted her to the car, where his father was waiting with a smile on his face.

"Hello," said Samuel, "you must be Rebecca, Steven's date."

"Hello, Mr. Stronghold," whispered Rebecca, "it's an honor to meet you."

"The honor is all mine," smiled Samuel, "anyone who can get Steven's attention and hold it like you have has got to be someone he must be really interested in…and now I can see why."

Steven blushed at that, embarrassed by what his dad had said. Was he trying to blow things for him with Rebecca already? He was so scared he never bothered to wonder how his dad had known Silence's real name; he relaxed though, when she lightly giggled and he scrambled to get her door open so she could get into the car. He climbed in on the other side as well, again embarrassed when the car once again sank down on its axles from his great weight, even though it was solid super-dense muscle.

It was a short drive to the theater, and once there Steven jumped out so that he could open the door for Rebecca. He glanced over quickly to see the approving nod from his dad, and offered Rebecca his hand to help her out of the car like a gentleman would. She accepted his hand, and he found he didn't want to let it go even after she was out of the car until he forced himself to do so.

"Alright kids," said Samuel, "just call me when the movie is over and I'll be happy to drive Rebecca home. Have a good time."

With that he left, and Steven and Rebecca stood in front of the theater for several moments, each afraid to speak first.

"Lady's choice," Steven finally said, "just like I promised."

"I don't go out to the movies very often,' said Rebecca, "I wouldn't presume to choose something."

"Anything you choose is fine with me," said Steven. As far as he was concerned, she was all he wanted to look at anyway.

* * *

They made their way to a set of seats in the middle of the theater with Steven leading the way. It was rather a tight fit for him because of his size, but he wanted to have the best seats for him and his date. He was also carrying the popcorn and drinks he had bought to share with her. He was surprised to learn she had never drank soda before, and instead opted for plain ice water while he had gotten a Coca-cola big enough to bathe a small dog in. When he found the perfect seats he let her sit first, noticing how nervous she looked. He hadn't thought that maybe she wouldn't like crowds, and was thinking about moving again when the movie started.

She had chosen something far from what he would have, but he was willing to sit through the endless talking and total lack of action or laughs to be near her. In fact he paid more attention to her than to the movie, and was surprised when it was over. It was then he noticed that he had actually put one of his thick arms across the back of her seat and she was resting her head against him. He felt like he had just awakened from a dream, and the movie had actually been boring enough to put him to sleep, but he was sure he was awake.

Once back outside the theater, he was about to call his dad to come pick them up when one of his famous impulsive ideas struck him.

"Would you mind if I…" he started to say, and he realized he didn't know how to put it in words. He then shrugged his broad shoulders and scooped her up as she squeaked, startled by his actions. When no one was looking he leaped into the air, carrying her through the night sky as the wind blew through their hair and caressed their faces. He landed nearly a half-mile away from where they started, heading in the direction of her home.

"What do you think you're doing?" said Rachel, still surprised by what had happened.

"I…I thought I'd take you home my way. It's how I usually get around and I wanted to share this with you. I'm sorry if I scared you…I'll put you down."

"No," she said, "no…I was just startled is all. It was…very interesting. You can do it again…if you like."

Steven grinned from ear to ear and enjoyed the thrill that raced through his body at her acceptance. She threw her small arms around his thick neck as best she could and snuggled tight against his massive chest as they again went airborne. Though he had never drank in his life, Steven was sure this must be what it was like to be drunk, only he wasn't drunk on liquor…it was love.

This time they both enjoyed the feel of motion and the rush of air as they nearly flew. When they came down she was startled at how gentle it was as his powerful legs absorbed the impact like giant shock absorbers. She reached up and tried to fix Steven's now severely mussed hair and he exulted in her touch as her fingers ran through his hair.

They stayed there in that spot for an unknown period of time, both enjoying the touch of the other. She felt so safe in his arms and against his chest, like he was a fortress of warm stone protecting her from any harm. Her caress through his hair and across his face sent chills down his spine, and when her fingertips brushed his lips he gently kissed them.

Then she withdrew her hand to again put her arms around his neck as she pulled herself up and started to kiss him on the lips. He was startled that the shy girl would take such a daring action, but he wasn't about to stop her. They then kissed, slowly and gently as the first contact of their lips brought them both up to greater heights of bliss.

Then Steven broke it off. He set Rachel gently down to stand on the ground and took a step back as he tried to calm himself.

"What's wrong," she said, her eyes registering puzzlement and concern, "did I do something wrong? I thought…"

"No," said Steven, "it's not you…it's definitely not you. It's me. I…I can't…"

"Can't what?"

"Can't be too careful," he whispered, "I'm so strong…too strong. I've only been powered up a few months…about three actually. I still don't have total control of it yet…I keep breaking things accidentally. I ripped the knob off the front door the other day hurrying to catch the bus to school…I leaned against a lamp post to fix my shoe and bent if over clear to the ground. I have to be so careful all the time. I don't want to get carried away and accidentally hurt you. That would just kill me."

She looked with even greater admiration upon her young Hercules. Very few of the super strong heroes to be she knew of would be so gentle or concerned with hurting someone when they were intimate with them. It was one aspect of that power she had never thought of before; to treat the world and everything in it as if it were made of paper and glass. For them it was easy to break things, but how hard was it to keep things safe?

She reached out and again caressed his face.

"You don't have to worry about that," she said in her whispering voice, "I can take care of myself. I may look fragile, but my own power will protect me."

"Why," he asked, hope beginning in his heart, "do you generate force fields or something?"

"No," she smiled, "nothing so spectacular. I…I still can't tell you what it is…because you may be afraid of me like everyone else."

"I'd never be scared of you," Steven said, taking her hand and looking into her blue eyes, "but you don't have to tell me if you don't want to. Whenever you're ready…that's good enough for me."

She smiled at that. What had she done to get such a wonderful boy to like her like this? She wished she could come out and tell him her power, but all she could think about was what had happened that first day in power placement…how she had lost control and did what she had done to Coach Ironside. The poor man was alive and healthy, but he had been forced to retire and now lived back in his native Arizona, his spirit crushed. She knew he didn't hate her, but she hated herself enough for that.

"Let's just walk for a while," she said to Steven, "then you can take me "flying" the rest of the way home."

"I wish I could fly," said Steven as he held her hand as gently as possible, "I'd take you into the clouds and…never want to come down."

"Me too," she whispered.

They then walked together into the evening, their thoughts only of each other.

To be continued


	3. Chapter 3

**Strong & Silent**

**Chapter 3**

"**Revelations"**

"S…s…someone seems m…m…motivated today," said Baron as he spotted Steven with his bench press.

Steven had to still concentrate sometimes to understand what Baron was saying, but it was worth the effort. It wasn't his friend's fault that he had the speech impediment (the nice way of saying he stuttered), and besides it was the least he could do for his friend.

Right now though Steven was seriously straining with the fifteen tons that the special bench press machine was set to. He was maxing out on his abilities at the moment, but he wanted to finish the set without Baron's help. With a final bellow he forced the weights up and slammed them into place with a metallic clang that rang through the entire wing of the school the gym was in.

Steven then sat up, soaked with sweat. He had gotten seriously pumped from the workout, and his skin felt like it was going to split off his blood-swollen muscles like his shirt already was. He easily ripped the rest of the tight fitting rag off, then looked at himself in the mirror that covered one wall.

"Yeah," he finally responded to Baron's statement, "I'm motivated all right."

He looked at the muscle-bound young giant in the mirror with arms bigger than a normal grown man's thighs which now displayed veins like garden hoses criss-crossing them. His pectorals were bigger than his head, and there was no way his arms could rest comfortably against his sides because of his door-wide lats and even broader shoulders. He had been hitting the weights like a maniac for a week now, and it was finally Friday, the day he had targeted as THE day.

He hadn't been lifting to get stronger. He had been lifting like that with heavy weights at low reps to seriously bulk up, to look even bigger and more intimidating. That was because he had decided that Friday was the day it was going to end.

He was going to make that little creep leave Rebecca alone once and for all.

He wanted to look big and powerful to scare the little freak, hoping that would be enough. He mostly didn't want to beat him up, but a small part of him did, a part Steven didn't like very much that had come to the surface ever since he had first seen what had been happening to Rebecca.

Today it was going to end, and if the little freak ended up on the receiving end of a beating, that would be his own fault.

"H…hey," said Baron, "a…a…are you even l…l…listening?"

"Huh?" said Steven, coming back to earth mentally.

"I s…s…said it's almost l…l…lunch time. You b…b…better get sh…sh…showered up if you w…w…want to s…s…see your g…g…girlfriend." Baron replied.

"Dang," said Steven, noticing the time, "you're right pal. Let's get moving."

* * *

Steven was in and out of the shower in a couple of minutes and didn't take time to dry off very thoroughly. His hair was still dripping wet and his new t-shirt was sticking to him as he dashed through the halls towards the cafeteria, drawing the admiring glances of more than a few of the female students. As he arrived at the cafeteria, Steven looked around desperately, hoping he was in time to do what he had set out to do. He then spotted Rebecca, sitting alone at her usual table again reading. His heart almost stopped when he also spotted the little freak with the beady black eyes approaching her from behind. Steven then pushed his way through the crowd easily, trying to get to Rebecca before… 

Rebecca was now standing over the little creep, who was kneeling on the floor and cowering before her. From the look on his face something horrible had happened to him, and Rebecca stood tall and strong.

What had just happened? Steven could have sworn that they hadn't been in those positions an instant ago…how had they both moved like that? What had happened?

Super speed. They must both possess super speed and whatever Rebecca had done to him had only taken a fraction of an instant. But that didn't make any sense; the little creep had been placed in sidekick class, while Rebecca's power had never been spoken of and there were a few other kids with that power that no one was afraid of.

So what had happened?

Rebecca turned away from her victim, who was getting to his feet and stumbling over to one of the other tables. But as far as Steven was concerned, he might as well have dropped off the face of the earth. Rebecca had said she would deal with him herself, and she obviously had in a spectacular manner.

Steven was a little disappointed as he had wanted to be the one to end the tormenting; it was a part of his nature to be protective and he admitted he was looking forward to ANY excuse to have Rebecca in his arms again. But he was more curious than ever about what had happened, and he approached her. The moment she saw him she realized that he must have seen what happened and she seemed embarrassed.

"You…you saw?" she whispered.

"Yeah," said Steven, "I guess I did. I'm not sure. You were both in different spots one second then…bang…he was about to wet himself and you looked…"

"Terrifying?"

"Absolutely gorgeous."

His words obviously caught her by surprise. The look of dread in her eyes was replaced by one of confusion, and then when she saw that he was truly not afraid of her, she seemed to physically relax. Neither of them noticed nor cared about the crowd of kids around them, who were wondering why the two of them were just standing there looking at each other.

* * *

After school Steven approached Rebecca before she boarded her bus. 

"I…there was something I wanted to ask you but…"

"Yes?"

"I was thinking…if you'd like…would you…"

"Steven, what is it?"

"Would you like to go to homecoming with me?"

Rebecca was stunned again. The most popular boy in school had just asked her to one of the biggest social events of the entire school year. This was even after what she had just done that was already the buzz of the school.

"Yes." She whispered.

"Great," said Steven, his grin lighting up his face and bringing out the dimples she loved.

"Just one thing," she said with a faint smile.

"What's that?" asked a puzzled Steven.

"You're not going to get any…bigger, are you?" She couldn't help but notice that Steven's muscles had maintained the monstrous pump all that day, and it would be several more hours before they would "deflate" back to normal.

"I…" Steven blushed. Was she ashamed of him? Did he look like a freak to her now? "No."

"I was just thinking," she whispered to him in his ear as she drew close, "it would just be VERY hard to find a tuxedo your size on such short notice, but you could NEVER get too big for me." She then kissed him gently on his ear, sending a shiver up his spine.

She then turned and boarded her bus, with everyone on board as stunned as they were last Friday with the strange couple.

Steven finally started breathing again as the bus rolled away and started to taxi down the runway. He could only stand and watch as it took off, then disappeared into the distance.

She had no problem with his physique. All this time as he had watched and felt his body changing and growing after he had first powered up, he had been secretly afraid that he wouldn't stop. He was already bigger than his dad, who was not a small man to begin with, but Steven was only fourteen with at least four more years of growth to go. He quit getting onto scales weeks ago, as he didn't want to know how much he weighed.

But she accepted him.

Steven continued to stand there, totally oblivious to the fact that he had missed not only his, but all the other busses as well. It wasn't until he felt something tapping him on his oversized shoulder that he came out of his trance.

"Is something wrong, Mr. Stronghold?" It was Dr. Zeus, the principal of Sky High. He had been an old rival of Steven's dad back during the war, and the two had been trying to one-up each other for years until lately when they settled down into "routine life". Nicolas Zeus was as tall and broadly built as Samuel Stronghold, but his features had an almost bear-like look to them with dark hair and a short-cropped beard with storm cloud gray eyes beneath shaggy black eyebrows. He was wearing the dark gray suit and crimson tie he always did during school hours.

"Uh…no sir," said Steven, embarrassed that he had had a major brain fart out there in the open for everyone to see…except there wasn't anyone there except the somewhat intimidating principal.

"I noticed that you were talking with Miss Crane," said Dr. Zeus, who was still one of the few people able to look Steven straight in the eye, "is there something…I should know about her?"

"Huh? Rebecca?" said Steven, confused why such a question was asked, "no, there's nothing wrong with her. Why do you ask?"

"It concerns the…incident in the cafeteria today. I am simply enquiring if you may know anything about it."

"All I know is that the little creep had been tormenting her for weeks…tearing up her books and laughing about it. I wanted to help her, but she wouldn't let me. She didn't do anything about it…"

"Until today," said Dr. Zeus, his gray eyes never blinking as he looked into Steven's, "when she rendered him powerless."

"What do you mean?"

"Rebecca Crane is a power binder," said Dr. Zeus, "she has the power to neutralize the powers of others for as long as she wishes; a day…a week…forever. That is what happened today in the cafeteria. She took away Harlan Quince's power of stopping time…apparently for the rest of his life."

Steven was stunned. That explained why the two of them had been in totally different places in the blink of an eye and why "Harlan" had crawled away like a beaten dog. He must have actually attacked her while stopping time, and she had been able to fight him off and destroy his power. Steven didn't feel the least bit sorry for the little creep.

"She was defending herself," said Steven, "he's been tormenting her like I said."

"I'm not disagreeing with that," said Dr. Zeus, "it's just that she may have gone too far. This is the second such incident with her…and I'm afraid harsh measures may be taken."

"What do you mean?"

"I'll have to take it up with the school board first, but there may be…expulsion from Sky High."

"For defending herself? Where were you and the school board when he was starting all of this? I was ready to beat him up to make him stop…if I had would you have thrown me out?"

"Calm down Steven," said Dr. Zeus, "I personally have no intention of doing so. It's just that she is considered dangerous by a lot of people and…"

"Dangerous? All she does is read and study! I've gone out with her on a date, been to her home and met her mom! She's about as dangerous as the Easter Bunny!"

"I know all this Steven," said Dr. Zeus, putting his hand on Steven's shoulder, "and that's why I'm glad I caught you. I want you to…well, take a closer look at Rebecca while you're with her. Maybe look around at her home and see if there's anything that may…help us with our decision."

"You want me to SPY on my girlfriend!" Steven was so outraged by the thought, he didn't realize that he had referred to Rebecca as his girlfriend for the first time to anyone.

"I want you to help me help her. If you can find something that will help me persuade the school board in case they might try to expel her, maybe we can prevent something worse from happening."

"Like what?"

"Power binders are…very rare, Steven. They are looked upon with more than a little fear by both sides, and they must be treated with kids gloves in case they might decide to…go rogue."

"You mean become a villain, don't you?"

"It's happened in the past. I just want to make sure it doesn't happen again, for everyone's sake."

* * *

Steven sat in his room, his mind barely able to wrap around what had happened in the past few hours. He had gone from total ecstasy of having Rebecca as his date to homecoming to the abyss of being appointed by the head of the school to spy on the girl he loved. 

How had this happened? Just because she got back at that little freak for all the torment he had caused her? So she had taken his power away…big deal. If the creep used it for doing what he did, he didn't deserve to have it anyway. He was abusing it, and besides he was just a freaking sidekick. He'd probably end up being the toady for some villain in a few years anyway.

Steven hadn't talked to his parents since he had gotten home, and both of them knew something was wrong, especially his mother. Since he had been with Rebecca he had come out of his self-imposed solitude away from people that had begun with the death of his brother Theodore, but now it was like he had taken a huge step backward. Something had happened at school today, and she was going to get to the bottom of it. If that idiot Zeus had said or done something to her boy, there would be hell to pay.

She tapped lightly on his door, knowing he could hear her.

"Steven," she said, "can I come in?"

"Sure, " said Steven, sitting on his reinforced bed. He had not changed his clothes since he had come home, only kicking off his tennis shoes. His room was the jumbled mess of clothes, comics and other odds and ends that made up the average teenage boy's room.

"You haven't said a word since you got home," said his mother as she came and sat on the bed next to him. Though he was huge, to her he was still her baby boy. "What's wrong?"

"I…" Steven didn't know what to say. He wanted to tell someone so much about what had happened, but did he dare? What if she agreed with what Zeus wanted? He didn't want to do it, and refusing his mother would have only made it more painful for him. Maybe it was better to take his chances.

He told her everything that had happened. How he had first seen Rebecca when she was being tormented up to the point of what Dr. Zeus wanted him to do. When he was finished, he went silent, waiting for his mother to respond.

"That pompous jerk," said Sylvia Stronghold, her anger very evident on her face, "how DARE he try to make you do such a thing? That poor girl…I've a good mind to tell him what I think of him, not that it will be the first time."

Steven didn't know what to think. He knew from experience that his mother had a bad temper, but she only unleashed it on those who deserved it. He was relieved she felt the same way he did, but was a lot more verbal about it.

She got up off the bed, paused to pat her son on his head of tousled brown hair, and threw open the door to his room.

"SAMUEL!" she yelled downstairs to her husband, "Get up here and find out what that jackass Zeus wants your boy to do!"

It only took a moment for Samuel Stronghold to bound up the stairs, fueled by his wife's anger and the mentioning of his old rival doing something to his son. He stood in the doorway, his eyes already set in a glare.

"Tell me everything, son," said Major Victory, "and don't spare the details."

If his mother had been an explosion, Steven's father was an earthquake, starting out low and quiet, but building into intensity until it seemed the very walls were shaking with his anger once Steven had finished his tale.

"You go see your little lady," Samuel told his son, fishing a couple of twenty dollar bills out of his wallet and handing them to Steven, "go take her out to a nice dinner and DON'T tell her a thing about this. I'll take care of this nonsense…my way."

Steven didn't have to ask any questions, he just grabbed his shoes, took the money his father offered and started running down the stairs until he noticed how they creaked and shuddered under his weight. He stopped, and then carefully walked down the rest of the way until he got to the floor, where he pulled on his shoes and ran out the door, remembering this time to be careful not to pull the knob off the door.

* * *

Rebecca was totally surprised when Steven showed up at her door, asking her out to dinner. He suggested a new place called the Paper Lantern that had just opened up, and they went and had a delicious Chinese dinner. Afterwards they opened up their fortune cookies and read them to each other. They both laughed at how silly they were, but when they left Steven asked if she would walk with him to the nearby park to talk. Once there they found a place to sit and watch the shadows of evening creep across the land. There was a slight chill in the air, and Rebecca cuddled close to Steven, who gave off enough body heat for four people. 

"I know what your power is," he whispered to her, "but I'm not scared."

She stiffened at the first part, but was curious about the second. No one who knew of her power had ever acted like they weren't a little afraid of her. It seemed to be a natural response, but Steven wasn't afraid at all.

"I know you took that little creep's power away, and he deserved it. He should be glad I didn't get my hands on him…he'd be in a lot worse shape than not having any powers…"

"Shhh," she said, "let's not talk about that anymore. It's over and done with. Besides, I didn't totally take them away. He'll get them back…in time."

That was good enough for Steven, but there was something else he still wanted to talk to her about, something that had been eating at his mind ever since Dr. Zeus had told him about Rebecca's power.

"Can you really…can you set a time limit on how long someone's power is…off?"

"Yes," she said, not liking the conversation, "why do you want to know?"

"I…" he hesitated, then decided to just blurt it out and hope for the best. "I want you to take mine away…for a little while."

"Steven," said Rebecca, pulling away from him and shocked about what he had asked, "why would you want that? Your dad is the greatest hero around…and you've got so much going for you. You're popular and already going to win "most likely to lead his own team" in the yearbook…and that's still months away."

"It's BECAUSE of all that I want to be normal again…just for a little while," said Steven, letting the floodgates open to release all the feelings that had been building in him ever since he had first powered up. "Look at me…I'm a muscle-bound freak. I'm only fourteen and I could pass for an adult bodybuilder without trying already…what will I look like in six more months…or by the time I graduate? And I have to be so careful all the time…treat everything like it will break because it will if I'm not careful.

"I…I want to be able to hold you without worrying about accidentally hurting you. I want to kiss you and…other things. I want to be just flesh and blood again…my muscles are so hard and my skin so thick I'm scared I'm starting to loose the feelings. I can already go out in the cold without a shirt and not feel it…I can only feel fire if it's really hot, and then it still doesn't burn me. I pick up a book or something else light and it just doesn't register to my fingers…I only know I'm holding it because I can see it."

Rebecca could see that Steven was on the verge of tears. For all his muscles he was still just a kid confused about what was happening to his body. It was hard enough for a normal teen going through puberty, but what was it like for someone whose body went through such radical changes because of their super power? Maybe that was why so many of the other super strong kids acted the way they did; they were trying to over compensate or cover up their own fears about what was happening to them.

She then drew close to him again, placing her hands on his broad chest. She looked him in his teary eyes as she released her own dampening energies into him. There was always such a strange intimacy when she took someone's power away; the two times she had done it before had been unwanted contacts that she had put out of her mind, but this time she welcomed it as she and Steven touched in a way that possibly no two other people on the planet could.

Steven gasped as the chill of her touch went through him. It felt like his body was deflating somehow…like it had been an overblown tire on the verge of bursting but was now being relieved of the pressure. He was relaxing in a way he could never imagine as he suddenly felt the chill of the night air on his skin and the grass he was sitting on. He opened his eyes and saw that, though he was still huge, his muscles looked relaxed and like actual flesh instead of chiseled stone. He touched his chest and could feel the pectoral muscle give slightly beneath his fingers. He could feel.

Rebecca looked at Steven, enjoying his elation. He looked relieved, like the weight of the world was off of his shoulders. Tears began to roll down his face, and he looked at his hands like he was seeing them for the first time.

"Oh God," he whispered, "I…I'm normal again."

He then turned his eyes upon her, love and near-worship glowing in them. He reached out to her and took her small hands in his.

"Thank you," he said, nearly choking on emotion, "thank you, Rebecca."

He then pulled her to him, actually feeling the slight resistance she gave. It was wonderful. He then kissed her with all the passion he had been holding within him. Though he was still naturally strong as befitting someone his size, there was nothing life endangering about it. What surprised him was that she began returning the kiss with equal fervor as she poured all of her young lifetime of loneliness into her efforts. It was a few minutes before they parted, coming up gasping for air. They looked at each other as they tried to catch their breaths, noticing the slight sweat on their foreheads despite the creeping chill of the night.

"Rebecca," said Steven once he could speak again, "how long…do I have?"

"Until sunrise," she whispered back, "then your power will return."

"Then I better make the most of it," he said and pulled her to him again. They kissed once more, but while it was still as passionate as the first time, there was none of the raw desperation and earnestness behind it. They knew they had this precious time together, and nothing in the world was going to ruin it for them.

To be continued


	4. Chapter 4

**Strong & Silent**

**Chapter 4**

"**Small Sacrifice"**

"You…want…to…WHAT?"

"I want to marry Rebecca."

Samuel Stronghold, sitting at the kitchen table, put his head in his hands and tried rubbing his temples to relieve the headache he was getting from this statement. The past year had already been a nightmare for him what with losing his youngest son, and now his oldest, who had just powered up and started attending Sky High, had fallen in love with an older girl and wanted to get married.

"You CAN'T be serious," he said to Steven, "you're only fourteen."

"I looked up the law," said Steven, "and the legal age in this state is fourteen. I can marry Rebecca…if she'll take me."

Sylvia was sitting on the other side of the table from her son, and though she was as stunned as her husband about their son's announcement, she was calmer about it. She had always understood both her sons better than their father did; it wasn't that Samuel was a bad father; it was just that he didn't know how to connect with Steven in certain ways. While he could teach him how to control his strength and fight villains, when it came to the emotional stuff that all teenagers went through it was up to Sylvia to see things through.

"Steven," she gently said as she reached across the table and held her son's hand, "it's wonderful that you and Rebecca love each other, but this is far too soon to be talking about such things…unless you mean you HAVE to…"

Steven was puzzled for a moment about what his mother said, then his face turned deep red as he realized what she was implying.

"Mom," his eyes unable to look at her even as he spoke to her, "we haven't…you know…"

Both Samuel and Sylvia breathed a sigh of relief. Though they were looking forward to grandchildren that day was far off, hopefully long after Steven had graduated and gotten a few years of world saving under his belt.

"Then why are you so set on marrying her?"

"Because…" Steven couldn't begin to express himself.

"Is there someone else? Is Rebecca seeing another boy and you're afraid of losing her?"

"No," said Steven, "there's nobody else…for either of us. She's just…special."

"You'll have to be a little clearer," said Sylvia.

"She…she took my powers away."

"WHAT? THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE! HOW DID…?"

"Sam, get a grip," said Sylvia, before turning back to Steven, "is this true Steven? Did she take your powers away?"

"Only for a little while…and only after I begged her to."

"Why in God's name would you DO that, boy?"

"I WANTED TO FEEL NORMAL AGAIN!" Steven bellowed back at his father as he slammed his fist onto the tabletop. Though it was actually titanium painted to look like oak, the table was still dented from the blow.

"I was scared…" said Steven, calming down a bit, "I haven't been able to feel anything for the past few weeks…it kept getting worse and worse. My muscles were so strong and my skin was so thick I couldn't feel cold or heat or…anything. But Rebecca fixed that. She took my powers away for a few hours, and I felt the breeze in my hair…grass under my bare feet…and I could feel Rachel's kisses. When it wore off I thought I'd go back to being numb…but I didn't. I can feel the water on me when I shower in the morning…Mom, just now when you held my hand…I felt it. My strength and invulnerability returned…but now I can feel again too."

"Son," said Samuel, the implications of what he had heard now sinking into his brain, "why didn't you tell us you were having this problem…this numbness. We would have gotten you help."

"I thought it was natural," said Steven, "I thought being so strong and invulnerable MADE you all…numb."

"God no," said Samuel, "I took plenty of cannon shots during the war, but I sure felt each and every one of them. I couldn't have very well been able to hold your mother or you when you were a baby if I couldn't feel anything."

"I didn't know that," said Steven, "I just thought…it was the price I had to pay."

"Son," said Samuel, "there are a LOT of us who have to pay some way for having their powers…Mr. Lightning has to wear rubber long johns underneath his clothes or he'll accidentally shock people…Titaness is stuck at being ten feet tall so she doesn't have a private life…and don't get me started on the poor Undergrounders. Don't get me wrong, they're great kids but…creepy."

"What your father is trying to say is that you can always tell us if something seems wrong…about your powers or anything else."

Steven nodded as he understood. He felt lucky to have such great parents, as he knew some of his friends at school didn't have good home lives; Baron's father was gone nearly all the time, and Boomer's dad was in the military, helping to whip new marine recruits into shape.

"Now," his mother continued, "have you asked Rebecca yet?"

"Well…no," said Steven, "I wanted to talk to you first. I wanted to ask her earlier this week, but she hasn't been at school and I can't get anybody to answer the phone or come to the door when I knock. I hope they didn't do something to her."

"They? Who do you mean?"

"You know, Dr. Zeus and the higher ups. He threatened to kick her out of school and…"

"I took care of Zeus," said Samuel with a hard look in his eye, "all I had to do was make a couple of phone calls and the matter was settled. I won't stand by and let that pompous jackass manipulate people like that, especially a young girl."

"Thanks Dad," said Steven, "that really means a lot. But I'd still like to know what's going on with Rebecca."

"I can have somebody check with her father…he's on security where her father works. Says he seems like a nice guy…little on the quiet side…"

"Samuel," said Sylvia, "did you have this "somebody" check up on Rebecca's father when Steven first started seeing her?"

Samuel realized he had let something slip that his wife was not going to let him wiggle off the hook for. He blustered and tried to change the subject, but it was no good.

"Alright," he admitted, "I asked around about her dad, okay? He does a lot of the secret super science stuff and I just wanted to make sure he wasn't…you know…"

"What, a "mad" scientist?"

"Well…yes. Its one thing for her mother to have been a…you know…sidekick, but some weird egghead father on top of that…"

"What's wrong with her mom," asked Steven, "so she used to be a sidekick. Sidekicks are important."

"Son," said Samuel, "in time you'll learn that sidekicks are…useful, but not all that important."

"Suppose Rebecca was a sidekick and we still loved each other? Would you have a problem with that?" Steven's temper was starting to flare at what his father had said.

"Well," said Samuel, totally clueless about what was going on, "she's NOT a sidekick, thank goodness, but…"

"You wouldn't let me see her, would you?"

"Now Steven, there's no need to get all steamed about something that won't happen."

"Samuel," said Sylvia as calmly as she could as she saw Steven's anger building, "just shut up."

"Now Sylvia," said Samuel, "it's time the boy learned how things REALLY work in the world. How sidekicks are usually only good for diversions and drawing fire while the heroes do all the REAL work…"

"And if Rebecca was a sidekick I couldn't see her?" Steven asked again.

"Of course not," said Samuel, walking right into it, "no son of mine will be seen out with a sidekick, not when he can do a LOT better."

Steven stood up from the table, looking down on his father like he was something totally alien to him now.

"And suppose I was a sidekick? What if I hadn't powered up before the school year started? I would have been put in sidekick class…what then?"

"Steven," said Samuel, "don't even JOKE about that. My son a sidekick? The very idea…"

Steven just turned around and walked out of the kitchen, leaving his father to wonder what had just happened, and his mother shaking her head in dismay.

* * *

Within an hour Steven had leapt back to Rebecca's house and was on the front step ringing the doorbell constantly. Why wasn't anyone answering? 

"There's nobody home," said a voice to the side, and Steven turned to see an elderly man in the yard of the house next door. He had been raking leaves, and the fact a huge young man had been standing there ringing the doorbell of his neighbor's house for over twenty minutes finally made him speak up.

"Do you know when they'll be back?"

"Can't say for sure," the old man said as he leaned on his rake, "come to think of it I haven't seen any of them for a couple of days…no lights on at night and you may notice the newspapers ain't been picked up."

Steven looked down and chided himself that he hadn't noticed the small pile of papers he had nearly been standing on. He picked them up and saw that the Sunday paper was at the bottom of the pile. That meant that no one had been home for nearly the entire week…about as long as it had been since the last time he saw Rebecca.

Something was wrong. What if his dad had been wrong? What if he'd only been told that everything concerning Zeus and his threat was just a lie so that they could do whatever it was they planned, and his dad would be none the wiser until it was too late?

Steven's mind was racing with all kinds of doubts and worries, including the sudden dread that maybe Harlan Quinn may have done something to harm Rebecca and her parents for her having taken his power from him. If that little freak had done something to her, there was nowhere on earth he could hide.

"It may have something to do with the ambulance that was here about that time. I'd have never known it was there if I hadn't looked out the window and saw it. The lights were flashing but there hadn't been any siren…strange too."

"What was strange?"

"I went outside to see what had happened, and by the time I did it had vanished…wasn't on the street anywhere. Almost like it flew off or something."

Ambulance? That meant…but disappearing like that? Steve was frightened for a moment, and then he remembered that there was a special paramedic unit that took care of supers if they fell ill or were badly injured after a fight. Could that ambulance have been them? Were they able to fly like the busses that took the students to Sky High? Why was it here to begin with…who did it take and where?

Steve thanked the man and raced off to get to a payphone and call home. Luckily his mother answered and he quickly told her what the neighbor had seen.

"If it was the Supers Emergency Unit," she said, "they would have gone to the sub-level beneath Maxville General. They take care of all the supers and those related to them…it was where you and Theodore were born."

Once he got the directions how to get there and where he had to go and what to say to be allowed access to the level, Steven took off like a shot, leaping to the fullest of his power. He didn't care if anyone saw him now. Nothing mattered except getting to the hospital and finding out what was going on.

* * *

He arrived there in a few minutes, and there he followed his mother's directions to the letter. His eyes and fingerprints were scanned to match those on the records at Sky High, and then he was allowed access to the ultra sophisticated Supers Emergency Unit. He was amazed at everything…it was like walking into a science fiction movie far beyond anything he could even imagine. But he quickly shook off his sense of awe and hurried to the front desk. 

"Can you tell me where I can find Rebecca Crane? She was admitted a couple of days ago…and…what's wrong with her?"

"I'm sorry," said the nurse, "only family is allowed in to see her right now."

"I'm…" Steven knew he had only one way in. He hated to lie, but it wasn't really a lie. He never told his parents he wasn't going to ask Rebecca.

"I'm Steven Stronghold…I'm her fiancé."

The nurse was surprised by who the boy revealed himself to be and his connection to the patient. She knew that he had to be stretching the truth, but there was something about him; the look in his eyes and the worry on his face told her that it would be better to just go along with it.

"She was admitted when she collapsed suddenly the other evening. Though she was conscious there was no response to any physical stimuli at all. It was as if she couldn't feel anything."

Steven felt his heart chill at the news. She was numb? But that would mean that she had…

"Her room is down the hall," continued the nurse, "room 009 on the left hand side. You can't miss it."

"Thank you," said Steven, and he resisted the urge to run down the corridor to get to the room. In a minute he was there, and he stopped to catch his breath and try to compose himself. He had nearly lost control when the nurse told him what was wrong, but he fought back the panic and steadied himself. He quietly opened the door and stepped in.

There she was.

If he had thought she looked frail and vulnerable when he first saw her all alone in the cafeteria at school, it was nothing compared to what he saw now.

She was lying in the hospital bed, wearing one of the thin gowns and had the covers pulled up to her neck. Her breathing seemed shallow, yet labored somehow; at least she was able to breathe on her own. Her hair was draped limply across the thin pillow looking like a black halo around her pale face. She was still connected to a heart monitor, which beeped slowly.

Steven swallowed hard at what he saw. Tears were already forming in the corners of his eyes, but he fought them back as he entered the room as quietly as he could. He had to be strong. He always had to be strong. He approached her bed and stood beside it, every fiber of his being aching to reach out and take her in his arms, to hold her and protect her and love her as he had been longing to do ever since he first laid eyes on her. At that moment he didn't care what his parents thought…he would marry Rebecca the moment she was better, sooner even.

As if sensing his presence, her eyes slowly opened, and she looked up and smiled weakly at him.

"Steven," she said in her familiar whisper voice, "what are you doing here? I didn't want you to see me like this."

"Why?" he asked as he gently touched her face with his fingers, feeling her cool skin, "You're just as beautiful as ever."

"Liar," she smiled again.

"A Stronghold NEVER lies," he said solemnly.

They both remained silent for several minutes, the only sound in the room being the steady beep of the heart monitor. No words needed to be said.

"Why?" he finally asked.

"Why what?"

"Why did you…why did you keep the numbness? It was MY burden to bear…not yours."

"Because you were in great pain," she answered, "you didn't feel it physically, but your heart and soul were in agony. I could see it in your eyes and hear it in your voice even before you asked me to take your powers away."

"You were going to do it the entire time, weren't you?"

"How could I be called a hero and not help the one I love?"

"Give it back. Let me shoulder it again."

"No."

"Silence, please…"

"No."

"Rebecca…"

"Steven, enough," she said with a sudden energy he didn't think her capable of in her condition. "The doctors say that I'm recovering nicely. It was just a shock to my system to absorb and hold the side effects as I gave you back your strength and invulnerability. My body is…adjusting to it. In a few days I'll be able to go home."

"No," he said, "I can't let you do this. I know what it's like to not feel anything…it's not for someone like you. You need to feel the sun on your skin…the pages of a book between your fingers…grass under your bare feet. I'm just the big dummy who's supposed to go out and punch and break things…it doesn't matter if I don't feel anything…it'll probably make it easier."

"It matters to me," she said, "you're more than what you think, Steven Stronghold. You're more than just a big lump of muscle to go out and beat on villains and monsters…you're a good and kind young man who's being forced to grow up faster and shoulder responsibilities sooner than anyone your age should ever have to. Everybody thinks you're destined for greatness and they're right, but not in the way a lot of them think. You are great because of your strongest muscle…your heart. Follow it always no matter what."

"I already did that," he smiled, "that's what led me to you."

He then bent down and kissed her gently on her lips. He could feel their softness against his own…the slight breath on his cheek…and could hold back the tears no longer.

"Please," he whispered softly to her, "give it back."

"No," she returned without blinking as she slowly reached up and wiped away the tears from his cheek, "this is far bigger than me. Your destiny is one of greatness…to be a champion to all those out there in the days ahead. They're going to need them too."

"What do you mean?"

"I…I've heard things around the school the past few weeks. Just because I don't talk all the time a lot of people think I'm deaf too, so they just ignore me. But there's nothing wrong with my hearing…nothing at all."

"What have you heard?"

"Whispers. Rumors. It seems there's quite a bit of unrest lurking amongst the less popular of the students."

Steven didn't know what to think. Unrest amongst the students…but they were the future heroes of the world…what could THEY have to be upset about? How many of the normal kids their own age would love to have powers and be able to attend a great place like Sky High? Still, if there could be demonstrations on college campuses, it was only a matter of time before high schools would see their share of trouble as well.

But that wasn't important now. All that was important was for Rebecca to get better…and to hell with the rest of the world.

"You need to rest," he said as he leaned over and again kissed her, "I'll be back every day until you can go home…then I'll come there too."

"Don't ignore your classes," said Rebecca, "just keep going to school. I'll be home by the weekend and you can come visit me then."

"Okay," said Steven, though he didn't want to do what she asked, "but I'll call and check up on you. The second you're ready to go home, I want to be there."

She smiled at what he said, and that puzzled him.

"What?"

"All those muscles," she smiled, "and you're soft as a marshmallow."

"That's me," he said with a shrug of his wide shoulders, "the amazing marshmallow boy…tough on the outside, soft on the inside."

"Don't ever change," she said.

With one last gentle squeeze of her hand he left the room, looking back at her as she gave him a tiny wave. He then left the room and dropped his brave façade to lean back against the wall and try to calm down.

"Mr. Stronghold, what are YOU doing here?"

Steven jumped, and saw Dr. Zeus confronting him. This was the last thing he needed right now.

"I'm here…seeing someone," Steven replied.

"Miss Crane, doubtlessly," said Dr. Zeus with his thick arms folded across his broad chest. Even in his expensive suit there was no mistaking the physical power the man had.

"Yes," said Steven, seeing no reason to cover things up, "I just found out she was here or I'd have come sooner. I was going to pick up her homework at school tomorrow too."

"Well, you need not bother," said Zeus, his entire demeanor one of sheer business, "as it won't matter as of today."

"What do you mean?"

"If you need to know," said Zeus, "I've come to tell Miss Crane that she is hereby expelled from Sky High for her flagrant disregard of not using her powers. This last incident involving you of all people has enabled me to convince the board that I was right to begin with."

"But I ASKED her to do it…and my powers are back just fine. She's even in here because it's MY fault…she took on the numbness I was suffering from and she won't give it back. She's a real hero…you can't just…"

"I CAN and I HAVE," said Zeus, getting angrier by the second. "You crying to your father may have saved her for a while, but this was the final straw. Now not even he can keep her in my school, and if I had my way I'd be rid of you too. You Strongholds are all alike…arrogant, self-righteous, and thinking the world owes you everything."

Steven was stunned by what he was hearing. He had never had any problems with Dr. Zeus, but apparently he had a LOT of problems with Steven and his parents.

"Please," said Steven, "don't do this. Kick me out if you want, but Rebecca deserves so much better. She doesn't deserve this."

"I will decide who deserves what Stronghold," sneered Zeus, "it's time ALL you little brats started learning there is an order to things…and that rules WILL be strictly enforced."

He then got in Steven's face as he hissed, "and there's NOTHING your miserable father can do about it."

That's when it happened.

Steven Stronghold finally snapped.

To Be Continued


	5. Chapter 5

**Strong & Silent**

**Chapter 5**

**"Goodbye"**

Josie Stronghold woke out of a sound sleep and rolled over to see that her husband was not in bed with her. Though she hoped he had only gotten up to get a midnight snack, she felt the mattress and knew he had not been there for quite some time. She sighed deeply and got up to put on her robe over her nightgown as she headed for the bedroom door.

She hated nights like this. It meant Steve was downstairs…ALL the way downstairs in the Secret Sanctum beneath their house. It was the specific part of the Sanctum he was in that she hated…not for a personal reason, but because of how it always affected her husband. He wasn't in the trophy room, where they kept mementoes of their greatest and most hard-won victories; he was in the OTHER room, the one not even Will knew about and, God willing, never would.

It was the room where Steve kept mementoes of his greatest failures.

No one else thought of the certain events of his life that Steven Stronghold looked upon as failures the way he did. They were events he had had no control over and could not have changed though he still to this day longed that he could.

In this room was a piece of railroad track. Next to it was the battered black and red armor that Steven had personally taken off his fallen friend Baron Battle after he had defeated him in the monstrous fight at Mount Rushmore. Next to that was a now empty spot that once held the file about the events where Steven and Josie had attempted to adopt Warren Peace when he was little; the same file Steven had absent-mindedly left in an old trunk after he had been looking through it years ago only for it to be found by Will and the truth revealed to both boys. At least that old ghost had at last been laid to rest.

Josie placed her hand on the panel that allowed her to access this haunted room. Sure enough, there was Steve, sitting in a large old overstuffed chair that had once been his dad's. He was in his pajamas and looking at an old yearbook from Sky High, but this was not the care-worn one Will had looked at and discovered the secret that ended up saving everyone at homecoming. This yearbook was four years older, dating back to Steve's freshman year, two years before Josie herself had come to Sky High.

He was thinking about HER again.

Josie smiled sadly at her husband. She did not begrudge him for his feelings, after all he would not be the man he was today if it had not been for…her. She just wished that Steve wouldn't dwell on the past so much at times.

* * *

Steven Stronghold finally lost it. 

He grabbed Dr. Zeus by the lapels of his expensive suit and lifted the man off the floor, glaring into his eyes.

"You leave her alone," he growled, "you WON'T do ANYTHING to her!"

"Get your hands off me," Zeus replied, trying to pull Steven's hands away but finding to his shock that the boy would not be budged.

Instead, Steven continued to advance and slammed Zeus into the opposite wall of the hallway with enough jarring force to crack the plaster.

Dr. Zeus was one of the old guard, a powerful being who rivaled Steven's father Major Victory and had even on two occasions gotten into physical altercations with him; the two had fought to a standstill both times before the other members of their team could safely intervene and separate them.

Surprised he could not physically overpower Steven; Zeus instead used his other power. Like his namesake he was able to unleash devastating bolts of electricity capable of destroying a tank at full power, and he blasted Steven point blank in the chest.

Steven didn't even flinch. Instead he growled like a bear and hurled Zeus down the hallway, past the nurses' desk and into the far wall that held the bank of elevators that led up to the surface. Zeus slammed into the wall, and scrambled to his feet just in time to get tackled by a charging Steven, who succeeded in smashing completely through the wall and into the elevator that was there.

Security forces were scrambled. They were instantly apprised of the situation of a young super going berserk and attacking another in the hallway and the two were now fighting their way up the shaft and to the surface level where the normal hospital was. If something wasn't done their battle would endanger countless citizens who were in the hospital.

"Geez," said the head of security when he was told who it was, "THAT'S the Stronghold kid…what the hell have they been feeding him? If he's taking on Zeus the kid's got more muscles than brains, I'll give him that."

The quickest thing to do was to try to herd the two to an area where damage would be kept to a minimum, and then try to contain them any way possible. Considering the level of power that was already being tossed around, neither option was going to be very likely to happen, not without some serious backup.

The two smashed up the shaft and onto the ground floor of Maxville General Hospital. Steven instantly realized where they were, and instinctively knew he had to either stop the fight or try to move it away from the civilians. There was no way he was going to stop until Zeus surrendered, so he had to think of something else. Grabbing the still-stunned principal, Steven smashed through a wall and to the outside, where he performed one of his spectacular leaps that carried them away from the hospital and out to an area that was being prepared to build a new high rise building. There was nothing there but leveled earth and freshly poured concrete walls.

They landed with a crash as Steven dropped Zeus and backed away, wanting to give him a chance to surrender.

"Just say you'll leave Rebecca alone," said Steven, "I don't want to do this."

In answer Zeus blasted Steven with another thunderbolt, this one knocking Steven off his feet and he crashed into a concrete wall.

"You miserable little fool," sneered Zeus, "you're just like your father, an arrogant and self-righteous fool who thinks he can tell everyone what to do. But I made him cower before me boy, and you will too!"

Zeus unleashed one lightning bolt after another at Steve, striking him in the chest and incinerating his shirt. It hurt like hell, but Steven was not recoiling from the pain, he was using it to remind him why he was fighting. If it hadn't been for Rebecca, he wouldn't be feeling Zeus's bolts at all. He took the pain and reveled in it. He could feel. He could feel because of her, because she had sacrificed her own health to take the cursed numbness away from him, and now this man…this petty hateful man…was going to punish her for it.

Not while Steven still drew breath.

Steven stood up under the barrage and took a step towards Zeus. Every massive muscle of his body rippled and flexed like waves on the sea. Nothing was going to stop him. Nothing.

Zeus blasted him again.

Steven took another step.

Again and again Zeus struck out at the boy, who continued coming slowly but surely, not hesitating or even flinching from the pain and any possible damage being done to him.

For all his bravado and arrogance, Zeus was to his credit not a coward. He had faced off with the likes of the original cyborg monster the Human Panzer on the battlefields of Europe during World War 2, battled the Japanese genetically created dragon whose named translated to "Hell's Fang" in the pacific campaigns, and once fought with Dr. Skull himself as the fiend sought to summon a horde of zombie Vikings to invade the coast of England.

But this was different. There was something in Steven's eyes that made Zeus hesitate. Something he had not taken into consideration. He had thought he had cowed all the students at Sky High with his formidable history and sheer power of personality, but he had seriously underestimated the son of his rival Major Victory.

And Zeus took a step back.

Steven had grown up listening to the stories of his father, including those of Dr. Zeus. Though he didn't like him, Samuel Stronghold never demeaned his rival in any way. It was only later on, after the two had semi-retired that Samuel let his true feelings be known, feelings that were matched by many in the super hero community. Steven still gave Dr. Zeus all the respect the man deserved for both his history and being the principal of Sky High, but that ended the moment he showed to what depths he would sink to get back in any way at either Samuel Stronghold or even his son.

Steven increased his pace. He was not going to let this man do all that he had threatened to do and let him get away. No. He had to been shown that he could not threaten and demean anyone who was trying to help others. Doing so made them a villain, and there was only one thing to do with a villain.

Zeus was desperately backing away now, hurling bolt after ineffective bolt at Steven, who was stomping so hard in his determined charge that the very concrete beneath his feet was crushed into fine powder two inches deep. In another moment he was on top of the man and again grabbed him, but this time by the throat with one hand. Without hesitating he lifted Zeus high in the air, and choke-slammed him down into the ground with such force the shockwave went out in all directions and shattered every piece of glass for one hundred yards around.

Steven then straddled his enemy, dropping down and pinning him to the ground between his thick legs. He again grabbed the stunned Zeus by the neck with one hand, and drew back his other in a deadly fist. Then he struck.

"You…"

**THOOM!**

"…will…"

**THOOM!**

"…NOT…"

**THOOM!**

"…do…"

**THOOM!**

"…ANYTHING…"

**THOOM!**

"…to…"

**THOOM!**

"…HER!"

**THOOM!**

Steven then slowly stood up to look upon his work. The air was filled with dust and debris, and it was several moments before it cleared enough for all the bystanders to see what happened. Then everyone gasped.

Steven stood there nearly naked, his clothes burned away by the lightning bolts. What few rags there were clung to his body by sweat, which he was bathed in. Streaks of dust and soot covered him as well, and he looked like a young, vengeful god of strength and war. At his feet lay Dr. Zeus…or what was left of him.

At first it looked like he was dead, but a better view revealed something even more awe inspiring.

Every earthquake-inducing blow Steven had struck had purposefully missed Zeus' head. The ground around his head and shoulders was just a crater several yards around and no one could see the bottom of. Zeus lay there in shock, unable to understand what had happened.

"I'm not a killer," Steven whispered as he turned away and started to try to walk back to the hospital, but his legs started to shake. His anger had been burned away, and he was starting to feel the after effects of such a tremendous surge of strength on one so young. After a few steps his legs buckled and he fell to his knees. Gasping for breath, he tried to get up, but it was no good. He then tried to crawl on his hands and knees, but that didn't get him far either. He finally collapsed with a muffled groan.

Instantly the authorities swarmed in. Two sets of medical personnel, each taking one of the fallen figures, started to work. Zeus was badly bruised with several broken bones, though nothing he couldn't recover from. Steven tried to fight off the other medics, but he was weaker than a newborn baby.

"Easy son," whispered the chief med, "you can relax now. Everything is going to be okay."

"Rebecca…" Steven moaned, "gotta…get back to…Rebecca…"

The head of security quickly filled in the chief med about the situation, and the man only shook his head in disbelief.

"All of this over a girl? The boy must have it bad."

"Yeah," grinned the security chief, "but Zeus definitely got it a LOT worse."

* * *

Steven came to in a hospital room like the one he had just left. He was in one of the specially built beds for larger and heavier super patients, and saw that he was hooked up to monitors registering his heart rate and blood pressure. He didn't even have on one of the usual hospital gowns, though he had been cleaned up quite a bit. 

Apparently he was being very closely monitored, as the moment he started to stir a nurse came in to check on him.

"Finally awake I see," said the nurse, who was the same one Steven had met on his way in to see Rebecca.

"Yeah," said Steven sheepishly, "I guess I must have passed out or something after the fight."

"That's a mild way of putting it," said the nurse as she check Steven's blood pressure and temperature, "you were completely exhausted. We were scared there at first but you seem to have pulled through just fine."

"Yeah," said Steven, a good night's sleep was all I needed."

"Actually, you've been unconscious for nearly a week," replied the nurse.

"A WEEK!" bellowed Steven, "I've got to get out of here…find Rebecca…"

He tried to get up, but every muscle screamed in agony. He was so stiff and sore he could hardly move. He recognized the feeling from all the times he had intensive workouts since powering up, but this was beyond anything he'd ever experienced before.

"Take it easy," the nurse told him and put her hands on one of his thick arms to calm him down, "Miss Crane is just fine, though of course she was VERY concerned to find out what all the ruckus was about when the fight started."

"Yeah," Steven said, settling back down into the bed but still feeling his sore and tired muscles, "I guess I kind of lost it…but when he threatened her…"

"Don't worry about that either," said the nurse with a smile, "I REALLY shouldn't be telling you this, but if it will keep you from doing anything else stupid that comes to a couple of million dollars in property damage, I think you should know."

"Know what?"

"Just about every square inch of our little supers hospital is monitored around the clock, both video and audio recordings of everything that goes on around here are made. Needless to say the Higher Authority was VERY interested in what was on the tape played for them concerning what happened outside a certain hospital room moments before all hell broke loose a week ago."

"Then that means…"

"Zeus always did think too highly of himself and that he had all this influence over people. Turns out the only reason he was principal of Sky High was because everyone thought it was the best way to keep him out of trouble and give the students someone to look up to as an inspiration. Did they ever miss the target."

"So…what's going to happen to him…and me?"

"Well, Zeus is now on paid leave from his position pending the full investigation, after which he'll doubtlessly be released. Turns out quite a few super parents don't like the idea of someone goading one of their kids into a fight; especially in a hospital of all places…some villains have a problem with that too. Can you imagine that? People who make a living trying to conquer the world getting mad about this situation…guess there's some things even THEY won't sink to."

"Am I…am I going to be kicked out of school…or arrested?"

"Good Heavens, of course not," said the nurse, "who in their right mind would try to prosecute you, even if you weren't the son of Major Victory? Like I said they have all the evidence in front of them, and it was clear you were goaded into attacking Zeus. I doubt ANYONE wouldn't have taken a swing at him if he threatened someone they loved like that. I know I would have decked him, and I can imagine what your father would have done…"

"My dad," said Steven, "is he…mad?"

"He's so proud he's about to hurt himself internally," smiled the nurse, "once he got here about five minutes after you collapsed he was told what happened and how you defeated Zeus. From that and looking at the battle site he couldn't stop grinning. Your mom was upset at first, but once we knew you were going to be okay she was just as proud."

"I'd like to see them…let them know I'm okay."

"Sure thing," said the nurse, I'll go phone them right now. Hopefully they'll get here before another fist fight breaks out."

"I'm not going to fight with anyone else," said Steven, puzzled by the remark.

"Not you," said the nurse, "I mean another fist fight between the nurse's aids as to who gets to give you another sponge bath…or did you think you've been so squeaky clean for the last week by accident?"

Steven's face went beet red as the nurse left with a big grin. But as the door closed behind her someone else was standing there.

It was Rebecca. She was dressed in her usual dark clothing, and she looked better than the last time Steven had seen her. But now she moved very slowly, and needed a cane to walk with. With a gentle smile she approached Steven.

"I hear you had quite an interesting time," she said.

"Yeah," he said with embarrassment, "if you call beating up the principle, trashing the hospital and completely destroying a construction site "interesting". But…"

"But what?"

"I'd do it all again for you…to protect you."

Rebecca gently caressed Steven's cheek, and her touch made it worth all the pain he had gone through.

"There won't be any need for that," she said.

"I hope not," Steve smiled back, "this last one knocked me out for a week."

"No," she said, the smile vanishing from her face, "I mean that…I won't be around for you to protect anymore."

"What?" He couldn't have heard her right.

"I've talked it over with my folks…I'll be transferring to Sky High West effective immediately. They have a…they have the means to help me with my condition."

"Zeus did this," growled Steven, anger again swelling within him and actually overcoming the stiffness and soreness of his muscles, "I guess I didn't get it through his thick head…"

"No Steven," said Rebecca as she placed her hand on his broad shoulder, "Zeus had nothing to do with this. I had already made the decision before you…before the two of you fought."

"But why?"

"Steven, I'm too much of a distraction for you. You need to concentrate on your studies so you can be the great hero I know that you are. I know you are willing to throw it all away because of me…I know that you were going to ask me to marry you."

"I still want to," he said, taking her hand in his, "I want to take care of you the rest of my life."

"But that's my point," she said as she slipped her small hand out of his, "you can't just be with me when the entire world needs you. It's not just your strength either; it's your heart that is needed. As long as I'm around you won't be able to focus on the truly important things like your training. It's best if I go."

"No," said Steven, "I need you, Rebecca. Until I met you, I didn't really have anything to keep me going. Ted…my brother…".

"I know," said Rebecca in her whispered voice, "I know all about Theodore. His loss was a terrible blow to you and your parents. But you still have much to live for…you have a legacy to uphold and build upon."

"But I love you."

"And I love you, my young Hercules," she said with a sad smile, "but I am not the right girl for you. Someday you will meet the one who is, one who can share your life in the way you need to live it."

"But…" he started.

"No," said Rebecca as she placed a finger on his lips to quiet him, "we both know it's for the best. I've done my part…now you must go on and do yours."

"No," he said, "I'll…"

She was gone. Vanished. But how? Then he remembered she had taken the time stopping power of Harlan Quinn, the incident that had started the whole thing. She had used it to stop time so that he couldn't prevent her from leaving. And now she was gone.

Then, for the second time in a few months, Steven Stronghold broke down and wept as he felt his great heart shatter into a million pieces.

* * *

Josie quietly approached and placed her hand on Steve's broad shoulder. He looked up at her touch, and both realized that, if not for Silence, Josie could have hit him in the same spot with a sledgehammer and he would not have felt it. 

Steve had been crying.

"Honey," Josie whispered as she knelt next to him, "what's wrong?"

He quietly handed her a tear-stained piece of paper with an official government logo across the top. It was from the Higher Authority, those who monitored and oversaw all super hero activity in North America. But Steven never kept such messages from her, so what was so important about this one?

_**To: Steven Stronghold a.k.a. The Commander**_

_**It is with deepest regret and sympathy that we inform you of the passing of Rebecca Crane, a.k.a. Silence. Her untimely passing was the result of complications arising from the state of hyper-advanced rheumatory arthritis she had mysteriously contracted at the age of sixteen.**_

_**Her long service in the de-powering and incarceration of several dangerous super villains will always be held in the highest regard, and as a person she will be greatly missed for the quiet strength and resolve she possessed that served to help us all.**_

The message was dated today, actually yesterday, as it was only a couple of hours old. It must have come in while Josie was asleep.

"She…she's…" was all Steve could say. It was then that Josie didn't see the Commander, the all-powerful hero who had saved the world from evil and disaster time and again. She saw the overgrown, but still vulnerable and sweet young man who had lost so much in his first year of becoming a super hero. And she couldn't help but fall in love with him all over again.

"I know honey," said Josie as she took his broad, strong face in her hands and looked into his bloodshot, tear-filled eyes.

Her small red cell phone began to buzz in the pocket of her robe. She swiftly reached in and shut it off. There were plenty of other heroes around to take care of whatever this latest threat was, and right now the Commander and Jetstream were needed for something far more important. She then took her husband and held him in her arms as they both mourned the loss of a quiet young girl who gave her all to save the world in her own way.

**The End**


End file.
